Sea-going high-commercial-speed displacement vessel

ABSTRACT

A sea-going high-commercial-speed displacement vessel consisting of an upper hull 1, in the form of one or several floor pontoons being equipped with narrow stabilizing floats 12 provided at least at one side of the plane of symmetry with pneumatic chambers 22, the width of which are adjusted by the pressure of a compressed gaseous medium, and which are arranged in the area of bilge 11, as well as at least one midwater hull 2 which comprises light ballast containers 20 and is fastened under the upper hull 1 by brackets 3,4 slidingly attached to the hull 1 and catches 13 and interlocks 14. The midwater hull 2 of the vessel is provided with adjustable stabilizing fins 17, simultaneously serving as deep-water rudders, and also with directional rudders 5 rotated by hydraulic rudder engines 18. The vessel comprises power plant 6 and screw propellers 7, situated at the height approximating the height of the frontal resistance center at the commercial speed, and enclosed within the hull 1 are active rudders 10 for manoeuvring the vessel after lowering the upper hull 1 to the water surface.

United States Patent 1191 Zadrozny et al.

[ Aug. 12, 1975 [76] Inventors: Jan Zadroiny, ul. Chrzanowskiego 27 m. 7, Gdansk-Wrzeszcz; Lech Kobylitiski, ul. Piastowska 70d m. 6, Gdansk-Oliwa; Stefan Jaworski, ul. Boleslawa Chrobrego 8, Szczytno, all of Poland [22] Filed: Sept. 20, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 399,117

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 29, 1972 Poland 158014 [52] US. Cl. 114/61; 114/665 H [51] Int. Cl. B63B 1/22 [58] Field of Search 114/61, 66.5 H, 67 A, 56, 114/,5 D, 16 R, 57

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,757,174 5/1930 Douglas 114/61 3,059,606 10/1962 Downhan et a1 114/72 3,481,296 12/1969 Stephens 114/67 A 3,548,772 12/1970 Tamura i 114/57 3,590,765 7/1971 De Lizasoain 114/665 H 3,623,444 11/1971 Lang 114/665 H X Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Assistant Examiner-Barry L. Kelmachter Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Waters, Schwartz & Nissen [5 7 ABSTRACT A sea-going high-commercial-speed displacement vessel consisting of an upper hull l, in the form of one or several floor pontoons being equipped with narrow stabilizing floats 12 provided at least at one side of the plane of symmetry with pneumatic chambers 22, the width of which are adjusted by the pressure of a compressed gaseous medium, and which are arranged in the area of bilge 11, as well as at least one midwater hull 2 which comprises light ballast containers 20 and is fastened under the upper hull 1 by brackets 3,4 slidingly attached to the hull l and catches l3 and interlocks 14. The midwater hull 2 of the vessel is provided with adjustable stabilizing fins l7, simultaneously serving as deep-water rudders, and also with directional rudders 5 rotated by hydraulic rudder engines 18. The vessel comprises power plant 6 and screw propellers 7, situated at the height approximating the height of the frontal resistance center at the commercial speed, and enclosed within the hull 1 are active rudders 10 for manoeuvring the vessel after lowering the upper hull l to the water surface.

PATENTED AUG 1 2 I975 SHEET PATENTEUA B 1 2W5 3, 898,946

SHEET 3 FIGS PATENTED AUG 1 2 I975 SHEET SEA-GOING HlGH-COMMERCIAL-SPEED DISPLACEMENT VESSEL This invention covers a sea-going high-commercial speed displacement vessel.

There are known structures of semi-immersed-type vessels which are defined as decreased navigation waterline catamarans consisting of several hulls, e.g. so called Trisec or 8 sea-going vessels, having the immersed part in form of a displacement member supporting the deck-platform-shaped broadside, in which the immersed and unimmersed parts of the vessel are combined by means of a pair of streamlined hulls or brackets.

There is also known a container goods transporting sea-going vessel, called Seasulky", consisting of two hulls in form of floats, transversely joined in the bow part by means of a frame structure on which a bridge and living compartments are situated, as well as of repleaceable platform decks for containers, where these decks are supported on two pillars in the after-body part of the floats and on the structure of a transverse frame, with the joints being spherically fixed to enable the vertical movements to be performed by the floats towards the pontoon-platform, with the aim to diminish oscillations caused by the waves.

Another known vessel is a module vessel, having a surface module, destined for passengers or for cargo, joined via independent brackets, whereby the displacement module is submerged. The structure of brackets makes it possible to lift the displacement module above the water level or to lower it onto the water. The displacement module has the form of an element which provides the lift at the lowered position during a voyage, thus enabling the surface module to be supported above the water surface and above the waves peaks; when such a vessel is in a port dock or when it floats on a shallow water, the displacement module is situated at the surface module bottom.

The decreased navigation waterline catamarans are inconvenient due to the small immersion of floats under the water surface and due to the small rise of the hull bottom above the water surface; consequently, no advantageous diminution of wave resistance is assured before the floats are submerged deeper in the water and the upper hull is not protected against the wave blows; hence the vessels must be built suitably heavy and resistant.

The upper hull and the underwater floats can not be displaced by a larger distance due to limited depths of the port waters and therefore it would be necessary to lift the upper surface of the floats just above the water surface, which involves a considerably rise of the upper hull above the water surface. This is unattainable due to stability reasons and inconvenience in servicing the cargo in a port. In view of the small immersion of the floats, the Trisec type vessel must be very slim, which causes higher viscous resistance. Also the elliptic section of the floats has a negative effect on the size of the wetted surface and thus on the vessels resistance.

The Seasulky type vessel is inconvenient during a voyage due to the floats being immersed just below the water surface for safety reasons. The highly raised upper hull is protected against the blow of waves against such a structure beyond only partial diminution of wave resistance which causes considerable movements of the floats on waves; the movements are to be reduced by using complicated and difficult construction, ball couplings which, however, do not eliminate entirely the movements of the upper hull; the highly raised upper hull in a port must be served with special equipment for loading and unloading.

When such vessel is unloaded by immersion, the wet deck must be very deep, so that the platform could float on the water.

The module type vessel is inconvenient because shortening and elongation of brackets is technically complicated, especially in case of big vessels with heavy loads.

Such design is based only on the dynamical stability at which it is impossible to increase the upper hull above the water surface during the vessels stay in port in the absence of a full buoyancy of the displacement module; therefore, it is necessary to start the vessel with the upper hull on the water surface. With such a design, a vessel cannot achieve any higher speed due to its very big resistance at the on-water position or driving motors must be used on big vessels, whereby the power rate is too high to be achieved at actual rating capacity and too difficult to install on the underwater module.

The aim of this invention is to provide a sea-going high-commercial-speed displacement vessel without the above described inconveniences.

The above aim has been achieved by outfitting the vessel with the upper hull of full displacement capacity in the form of one or several floor pontoons, having narrow stabilizing floats or other devices near the bilge, the said devices giving suitable buoyancy and lift, and with at least one midwater hull, also of a full displacement capacity, in the shape of streamlined floats preferably with small wetted surface, having light ballast tanks and situated under the upper hulls at a changeable height.

The upper hull is joined to the midwater hull by means of brackets which are mounted slidingly in the upper hull. These brackets have catches for attaching to the upper hull interlocks and they permit rigidly joining both hulls after removing the water from the hulls by means of a compressed gas medium.

The active rudders are located in the upper hull and the stabilizing floats are, at least on the upper hull symmetry side, equipped with pneumatic tanks, whose width is adjusted by means of the compressed gas medium. At least one midwater hull is equipped withadjustable stabilizing floats functioning also as deep-water rudders and with a power plant and screw propellers situated at a height near the position of the frontal resistance center at the commercial speed of the vessel; eventually they are situated in a way to permit balancing the vessel longitudinally, keeping in mind the effects of resistance forces and of the screw propeller pressure forces.

The extreme brackets, which join two hulls, are equipped with directional rudders and with stabilizing fins, whereby the directional rudders and the stabilizing fins are rotated by means of rotary hydraulic steering engines.

The upper hull in the form of one or several-floor pontoons has suitably situated cargo decks dimensioned in the container module.

Advantages of the vessel according to this invention consist in: a. possibility of achieving high speeds considerably exceeding the displacement limit for the sinhull above the wave peaks, d. reducing the loads acting on the deeply immersed midwater hull, e. quick and easy loading and unloading without the necessity of using any overhead equipment, with the exception of container transport vehicles. Moreover, it is not necessary to rig and to adapt the harbour quays to the equipment used till now for ferry boats, because a large upper-hull waterplane surface provides the possibility of reducing the small differences of immersion and trims during loading and unloading by means of ballasting the midwater hull as well as assuring directly driving any wheeled vehicles in and out of the vessel onto the deck. Beyond that the vessel according to this invention need not be equipped with rescue equipment because due to double displacement she is a rescue medium by herself.

She is characterized also by good maneuverability and marine properties as well as by moderate production costs of constructionally and technologically simple hulls.

The weight of such a vessel is not very much greater than that of a conventional single-hullvessel due to the reduction of binding structure size which may be introduced in view of the elimination of dynamic loads and compensation of pressure on the major part of the shell plating on the midwater hull.

This invention object is demonstrated in the form of an embodiment shown in the figures, whereby FIG. 1 shows the side view of the vessel,

FIG. 2 cross-section of the vessel,

FIG. 3 the main decks top view,

FIG. 4 the midwater hulls cross-section,

FIG. 5 constructional detail near the bilges crosssection, 5

FIG. 6 two midwater hulls vessels cross-section,

FIG. 7 constructional details of the cross-section at the vessel bilge area with two midwater hulls, and

FIG. 8 shows a vessel with three midwater hulls in a cross-section.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vessel consists of the upper hull 1 in form of several floor pontoons and the midwater hull 2 in the form of an empty float combined by means of extreme brackets 3 having cylindrical sections as well as of internal streamlined brackets 4 which are joined to the hull 2 in a nonrotatable fashion.

The brackets 3 and 4 are slidingly fixed to the hull 1 where the extreme brackets 3 are equipped with streamlined loaded directional rudders 5.

In the hull 2 is the power plant 6 which drives the screw propeller 7, the transport tunnel 8, fuel tanks and storage containers as well as large, light ballast containers 9.

The upper hull 1 [FIG 2] has active rudders 10 situated at the bow and stern area of the vessel; at the bilge area 11 it has narrow stabilizing floats 12.

The brackets 3 and brackets 4 (not shown) have the catches l3 intended for fastening them in the interlocks 14 of the hull 1 in order to provide a rigid joint on both hulls 1 and 2.

The bottom 15 of the hull l is raised above the water level. The main cargo deck 16 [F IG. 3] of the upper hull 1 has dimensions in the container module and the midwater hull 2 is equipped with stabilizing fins 17 which function also as deepwater rudders. The midwater hull 2 [F IG. 4] has directional rudders 5 mounted on the extreme brackets 3, the stabilizing fins 17 and the directional rudders rotated by means of hydraulic rudder engines 18, the transport tunnel 8 which is situated between resistant plate girders l9 assuring the longitudinal strength of the hull 2 as well as light ballast containers 20 with a thin shell plating 21.

The vessel shown in FIG. 5 has, in the area of bilge 11, the stabilizing floats 12 equipped with pneumatic chambers 22 having the outside wall made of elastic material enabling the continuous selective adjustment of the width of the stabilizing floats 12.

The upper hull 1 is equipped with three cargo decks 23 on which containers and other cargo as well as the compartments 24 for staff and passengers are situated.

FIG. 6 shows a vessel having two midwater hulls 2 of circular section, fastened by means of brackets 3 and 4 to the hull 1 and mutually combined by streamlined brackets 25 on which the stabilizing fins 17 are mounted.

The stabilizing floats 12 situated in the area of the bilge 11 [FIG 7] representing one structural unit with the brackets 3 and 4 are slidingly fixed to the hull 1 and equipped with pneumatic chambers 22 having the outer walls made of elastic material, whereas the catches 13 are provided for attaching the midwater hull 2 in the interlocks of the hull 1.

The vessel shown in FIG. 8 has three midwater hulls 2 of circular section each of which is fastened to the hull l by means of the brackets 3 and 4.

The brackets 3 and 4 combining the hulls 2 with the hull l are fastened by means of their upper part to the stabilizing floats 12 which are slidingly mounted in the hull 1.

The hulls 2 are combined with one another by means of streamlined brackets 25 to which the stabilizing fins 17 are mounted in the area of the extreme hulls 2.

The letters t and T are used for marking the draught of a vessel during her voyage stay in a deep water area.

The vessel according to the subject invention is to be used in such a way that during her stay in a port the main cargo deck 16 of the upper hull l as the result of suitable ballasting is situated at the level of the dock and thus any vehicles can be driven directly into the vessel and out of her to the dock from the beginning to the end of the loading or unloading process.

After the vessel has departed from a port or from the limited depth waters, where she floats at a limited velocity as catamaran or trimaran, the hull or the midwater hulls 2 are quickly ballasted by liberating the compressed gas medium from the light ballast containers 9. When the hulls 2 have reached the definite depth, the catches 13 on the brackets 3 and 4 are being fastened to the interlocks 14 of the hull 1; thus the hulls 1 and 2 are being combined into one body and the hull 1 can be raised on the bottom 15 level requested in a given sailing region above the water surface, after the water has been eliminated from the ballast containers 9 by means of the compressed gas medium.

After the hulls 1 bottom 15 is emerged, the ship increases her velocity till her commercial speed has been reached; by suitable maneuvering with the stabilizing fins 17, the contact of the stabilizing floats 12 with the water is minimized adjusting the width of the stabilizing floats 12 to the requested size by means of pneumatic chambers 22 depending on the weight of cargo in the vessel due to stability reasons and therefore, depending on the systems gravity center location.

After approaching a port and limited depth waters, the compressed gas medium is to be released from the ballast containers 9 and the water is to be introduced into the containers 9; therefore the hull 1 is lowered to the water surface.

As the vertical gravity forces are not operating now in the interlocks l4 and in the catches 13 because of balancing the weight of the hulls l and 2, the interlocks 14 are being opened, and thus, after unballasting, the hulls 2, can be raised under the bottom 15 of the hull 1.

After further unballasting of the ballast containers 9, the vessel passes from the limited depth waters into a port. At this time the active rudders 10 are being used for manoeuvring the vessel.

We claim:

1. A sea-going high speed displacement vessel comprising, in combination, a surface hull of displacement equal to displacement of the vessel, the form of said hull being substantially similar to a rectangular pontoon having several decks; stabilizing elements at the bilge for stabilizing the vessel; at least one midwater hull having full buoyancy in form of streamlined floats with small wetted surface, said midwater hull having light ballast containers and being positioned at variable height under said surface hull; brackets mounted slidingly in said surface hull and having catches for joining said surface hull and said midwater hull after water'has been removed from them by means of compressed gas; active rudders positioned in said surface hull, said stabilizing elements in the form of floats having chambers at least at the side of the surface hulls symmetry plane, the width of said chambers being adjusted by means of compressed gas, at least one midwater hull has adjust-' means of rudder engines. 

1. A sea-going high speed displacement vessel comprising, in combination, a surface hull of displacement equal to displacement of the vessel, the form of said hull being substantially similar to a rectangular pontoon having several decks; stabilizing elements at the bilge for stabilizing the vessel; at least one midwater hull having full buoyancy in form of streamlined floats with small wetted surface, said midwater hull having light ballast containers and being positioned at variable height under said surface hull; brackets mounted slidingly in said surface hull and having catches for joining said surface hull and said midwater hull after water has been removed from them by means of compressed gas; active rudders positioned in said surface hull, said stabilizing elements in the form of floats having chambers at least at the side of the surface hull''s symmetry plane, the width of said chambers being adjusted by means of compressed gas, at least one midwater hull has adjustable stabilizing fins, said fins being also deepwater rudders; and power plant and screw propellers situated at the height approaching the height of the frontal resistance center at the commercial speed of said vessel, said fins, power plant and propellers being situated for permitting balancing longitudinally the vessel with respect to the resistance forces, said resistance center lying substantially at the level of the propeller shaft axis when said vessel moves forward at said commercial speed, said brackets joining said hulls having directional rudders rotated with said stabilizing elements by means of rudder engines. 